Automobile heater



11937- c. M. FRANCISCO ET AL 2,068,739

AUTOMOBILE HEATER Filed May 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l fzarles i 74 2z 5? Aczorz 6 60 rye W 45671714 5 Jan. 26, 1937. c. M. FRANCISCO ET AL 2,068,739

AUTOMOBILE HEATER Filed May 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wt w atented Jan. 26, 1937 D STATES AUTOMOBILE HEATER Char W. Lenhart,

es M. Francisco, Frank Acton,

Columbus, Francisco Auto Heater Company,

and George assignors to Columbus,

Ohio,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 8, 1935, Serial No. 20,424

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in automobile heaters, and has particular reference to that type of heater utilizing an outer casing which is applied to the side of an internal combustion engine so as to completely or partially surround the manifold of the engine through which the heated exhaust gases pass when issuing from. the engine cylinders, and wherein the resultant heated walls of the manifold are used to heat the air passing longitudinally through the casing and over the exterior surfaces of the manifold, so that after the air is passed through the casing, the same may be delivered in a heated state to the interior of an associated motor vehicle body.

It is an outstanding object of the present invention to provide a motor vehicle heater of the type indicated of simple yet efilcient construction and one wherein the heat of the exhaust gases passing through the exhaust manifold of an associated engine will be utilized to a greater degree than heretofore in increasing the temperature of the air which is finally delivered to the vehicle body for heating purposes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a simple and improved heater of the type set forth which is especially adapted for use in conjunction with the currently manufactured V-type of engine involving eight cylinders in two angularly disposed engine blocks. Such an engine is equipped with an exhaust manifold of relatively short length for each cylinder block with the result that when the usual heater casing is applied to one of these standard manifolds, the latter does not offer sufiicient heat radiating surface to raise the temperature of the air passing through the casing to a required degree for the purpose of securing rapid, comfortable and eflicient heating of the vehicle body.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided, as a component and essential part of the heater, a special exhaust manifold including a welded sheet metal body of high heat conductivity, and wherein the body is formed to comprise annular parallel conduits,

united by a return bend at one end of the manifold, through which the heated exhaust gases pass directly from the engine, the parallel reversely bent conduits of the manifold, and its sheet metal construction, provide extended heat radiating surfaces greatly in excess of that of the ordinary type of single length cast iron manifold, so that the air passing through the casing and across the heated conduit surfaces of the manifold will be rapidly and efficiently heated and upon delivery to the automobile body will possess a high temperature well adapted to provide passenger comfort during periods of severely cold weather.

Another object of the invention resides in providing the upper and lower reversely extending branches of the manifold with axially situated, longitudinally extending, open ended tubes which lie entirely within the confines of the manifold and its surrounding outer casing, so that air in passing through the casing for heating purposes will be brought into contact with both the inner and outer walls of the annular exhaust gas passages of the manifold, to the end of further augmenting the heat radiating surfaces of the manifold and to insure high e1- ficiency in heat transfer between the gas heated walls of the manifold and the air passing through the casing.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a \!,-type automobile engine equipped with the heater mechanism comprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the outer casing of the heater mechanism and disclosing the same in its operative position around the exhaust manifold, the latter being partly broken away to disclose its peculiar internal construction in vertical cross section;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line III-III of Fig.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of a special manifold forming a part of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal longitudinal sectional view of the heater taken on the line V-V of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the special manifold on the plane indicated by the line VI-VI of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral l designates an internal combustion engine of the type employed in the operation of motor vehicles, and the numeral 2 indicates the heater mechanism comprising the present invention in its entirety. The engine I to which the heater mechanism is especially applicable, comprises a pair of angularly related, V-shaped, cylinder blocks 3, the latter being of the type found in the standard Ford automobile. As has been previously pointed out, in a V-type of engine of the type referred to, the ordinary exhaust manifold found on each side of the cylinder blocks, does not possess sufficient length or radiating surface to provide for adequate heating of the associated vehicle bodies when a standard manifold heater is employed. This is also true of the so-called hot water types of automobile heaters, wherein heated water taken from the cooling jackets of the engine cylinders is circulated through a small radiator arranged in the vehicle body and across the surfaces of the radiator air is driven by an electric motor operated fan. This is particularly true in climates Where low temperatures prevail during the winter season and it is Well understood b3 those versed in the art that the customary types of heaters are'nct satisfactory with the standard \/type of motor of the model indica ed.

The present invention has solved this problem to a very satisfactory degree and numerous tests have disclosed that the heater mechanism constructed as hereinabove described will deliver air in large quantities to an associated vehicle body at a temperature of the order of 270 F., and which has been found to be adequate in even the severest winter weather.

To attain this end, the present invention provides a. special type of manifold which has been particularly designed for use in connection with an engine of the type referred to. This manifold, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a body formed from a pair of opposed, duplicativc, stamped sheet metal sections welded along their edges and provided on one side with a pair of attaching plates 5 which are bolted or otherwise secured as at 6 to the spaced exhaust gas outlets provided at one side of the cylinder block 3. The manifold body includes upper and lower reversely bent parallel conduit portions 1 and 8 respectively which are united at the rear end of the manifold by a semi-circular return bend 9, forming an integral portion of the manifold. The exhaust gases leaving the block 3 first enter the lower conduit 8 and travel in a rearward direction therethrough, thence passing through the return bend 9 and finally forwardly of the manifold through the upper conduit 1. The extreme forward end of the conduit 1 terminates in a fitting I0 with which is connected the exhaust line H extending from the opposite cylinder block and the exhaust line i2 which leads rearwardly of the vehicle to the mufiler mechanism, not shown. Within each of the conduits l and 8, there is arranged an axially disposed longitudinally extending, open ended tube i3. These tubes operating in conjunction with the walls of the con- 'duits l and 8 produce annular passages it for the transmission of the engine exhaust gases through the manifold and produce dual heating surfaces for contact with the air to be heated prior to the delivery of such air to the vehicle body.

The manifold is surrounded, or partially surrounded, by a sheet metal casing i5, which extends longitudinally of the manifold but is slightly spaced from the walls thereof to produce a chamber it for the passage of air through the heater casing and over the exterior walls of the manifold. The forward end of the casing i5 is open to the atmosphere as indicated at H, while the rear portion thereof is connected with a duct l8 which passes through the dash bulkhead i9 of the motor vehicle for the delivery of air to the interior of the vehicle body. In the particular form of the invention shown, the heater is apthe present construction provides an exhaust manifold which by being formed from welded sheet metal, suitably tested under pressure against leaks, possesses a high degree of heat conductivity so that heat is rapidly radiated from its walls and may be efficiently taken up by the air traveling through the heater casing. Again. due to the upper and lower parallel conduit sec tions of the manifold. the latter possesses unusual length, greatly in excess of that of a standard manifold, which again serves to provide greatly augmented heat transfer surface. The surface is further increased by the provision of the axially extending, open ended tubes i3, which serve to form annular passages for the travel of exhaust gases through the manifold, producing both internal and external walls in the manifold for the removal of heat from the surfaces thereof by air contact.

If desired, the tubes I3 may, as shown in Fig. 2. be provided with helical bailies 2G in order to produce turbulence of the air passing through said tubes and to insure contact of the air with the heated surfaces of the tubes. These features conjoint-1y produce an automobile heater of the manifold type which while being extremely compact and devoid of mechanical complication, nevertheless, serve to effect such efiicient heat transference that the heated air after contact with the manifold surfaces and upon its discharge from the heater will possess the required temperature to provide the occupants of the associated vehicle body with comfort during severe cold weather. Of course, another feature of the invention is the fact that through the augmented heating surface, 'the heater rapidly attains an efficient operating condition after but a very short period of engine operation. It is a matter of common knowledge that many heaters attain such emciency only after rather prolonged periods of operation of the engine and even though the high temperatures which the present heater provides may not be needed, yet the construction of the heater is desirable in order that comfortable riding conditions may be attained quickly following the starting of the engine. If the temperatures become excessive, the same may be modifled by the usual shutter controls, not shown, associated with the duct 88.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automobile heater, a sheet metal manifold comprising a pair of duplicative complemental sections. each of said sections having reversely bent conduit forming grooves provided therein, welded abutting webs formed between said grooves, the conduits formed by said grooves being of unequal length, and the shorter of said conduits being provided with laterally directed ports formed for registration with exhaust gas outlets of an associated engine, and means positioned above and below said shorter conduit for guiding bolts used in attaching said manifold to an automobile engine.

2. In an automobile heater, 2. sheet metal manifold comprising a, pair of duplicative complemental sections. each of said sections having reversely bent conduit forming grooves provided therein, welded abutting webs formed between said grooves, the conduits formed by said grooves being of unequal length, and the shorter of said conduits-being provided with laterally directed ports formed for registration with exhaust gas outlets of an associated engine, a tube disposed axially within at least one of said conduits, said tube opening at its ends to the atmosphere beyond the walls of said manifold, and bolt guiding means positioned between said conduits.

3. In an automobile heater, a manifold having parallel upper and lower conduits united at their rear ends by a return bend, the lower conduit being provided in its side wall with a plurality of longitudinally spaced gas receiving ports, and the upper conduit being downwardly bent at its forward end and provided with aligned ports in its side walls, the last named ports being in a plane common with the inlet ports in the lower conduit.

4. An automobile heater comprising a manifold formed from a pair of sheet metal sections welded together along their contacting edges, said sections being formed to include a pair of substantially parallel longitudinally extending exhaust gas passages of unequal length communicating with one another at one end only of the manifold, a longitudinally extending openended conduit positioned in at least one of the passages in said manifold, and a casing surrounding said manifold and spaced from the outer walls thereof, said casing being provided at its forward end with an opening for the entrance of air at atmospheric temperature and at its rear end with an exit for heated air.

5. Motor vehicle heating means comprising a manifold formed from a pair of sheet metal sections joined along contacting edge portions, the said sections being transversely bowed to provide therein upper and lower longitudinally extending parallel gas receiving passages of unequal length, said passages being in relative communication at one end only of the manifold, longitudinally spaced gas inlets provided in the lower of said passages, a gas outlet provided at the forward end of the upper passage and disposed in substantially. the horizontal plane of the lower of said passages, an open-ended conduit passing axially and longitudinally through at least one of said passages, and a sheet metal casing surrounding said manifold, said casing being open at its forward end and having an outlet formed at its rear end.

6. An automobile heater comprising a manifold attachable to the side of an internal combustion engine to directly receive the heated ex-' haust gases issuing from the engine cylinders, said manifold including a welded sheet metal body having longitudinally extending upper and lower passages which communicate with one another at one end only of the manifold, an openended air heating conduit extending axially through at least one of said passages, and a sheet metal casing surrounding said manifold, said casing being open at its front to the atmosphere and having at its rear an outlet for the discharge of heated air.

'7. An automobile heater comprising a manifold directly attachable to the side of an internal combustion engine to receive heated exhaust gases issuing therefrom, said manifold including a sheet metal body composed of two sections formed to present parallel upper and lower passages for the travel of heated exhaust gases through said manifold, said passages being in relative communication at the rear end only of said manifold, longitudinally spaced gas inlets communicating with the lower of said passages, a gas outlet provided in connection with the forward end of the upper of said passages, said outlet being disposed substantially in the plane of the lower of the passages, and a sheet metal casing surrounding said manifold to produce an air heating passage between the outer surfaces of the manifold and the casing.

8. An exhaust gas manifold for internal combustion engines comprising a sheet metal body having a pair of sections joined along their adjacent edge portions, the said sections being provided with reversely bent registering sides forming parallel longitudinally extending passages for the travel of engine exhaust gases, the said passages being in relative communication at the rear end only of the manifold, longitudinally spaced gas inlets formed with one of said sections in registration with the lower passage, a gas outlet formed in the other of said sections in communication with the forward end of the upper of said passages, and reenforcing means surrounding said gas inlets and outlet for resisting compression forces.

9. An exhaust gas manifold for internal combustion engines comprising a sheet metal body formed from a pair of sections joined along their adjacent edge portions, the said sections being provided, with reversely bent registering sides forming parallel longitudinally extending passages for the travel of engine exhaust gases, the

said passages being in relative communication at the rear end only of the manifold, longitudinally spaced gas inlets formed with one of said sections in registration with the lower passage, a gas outlet formed in the other section in communication with the forward end of the upper passage, reenforcing means surrounding said gas inlets and outlet for resisting compression forces, and means passing through said reenforcing means for directly uniting said manifold in connection with the side of an associated engine.

10. In automobile heating means, a manifold directly attachable to the side of an internal combustion engine to receive heated exhaust gases issuing therefrom, said manifold including a welded sheet metal body having parallel upper and lower passages in relative communication with each other at one end only of the manifold, the lower of said passages being provided with ports for admitting exhaust gases into said manifold and the upper of said passages being provided at its forward end with a gas discharging port, open-ended conduits extending longitudinally through said passages, and a sheet metal casing surrounding said manifold and at least partially spaced from the exterior of said manifold to produce a longitudinally extending air heating passageway.

CHARLES M. FRANCISCO. FRANK ACTON. GEORGE W. LENHART. 

